Compensating device for magnetic compasses



April 27, 1937. p KQLLSMAN 2,078,574 COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR MAGNETIC COMPASSES Filed April 20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 15 30 FIG. 1 f 12 35 a p. 1 A 9/; 5 I l I v !l a) l M I Hi I a; H11! 1 7 I I I- I Iva-.2

INVENTOR April 27, 1937. P. KOLLSMAN COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR MAGNETIC COMPASSES Filed April 20, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. fr

lN-VENTOR PHUL KDLLS MHN BY 6/ fimcv ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1937 UNiTED STATES COMPENSATING DEVICE FOR MAGNETIC COIWPASSES Paul Kollsman,

New York, N. Y.

Application April 20, 1933, Serial No. 667,071

2 Claims.

This invention relates to magnetic compasses.

The object of the invention is to improve the method and means employed for adjusting the compass tocompensate against local attractions tending to deviate the compass needle.

More particularly, in carrying out this object of the invention, it is purposed to employ compensating magnetic means so shaped and positioned when adjusted for zero compensation as M) to concentrate the lines of magnetic force to be employed for compensation in substantial alignment with the axis of rotation of the compass card.

I further purpose, in carrying out the object of my invention, in adjusting my compensating means to efiect the adjustment from a condition of no magnetic influence, regardless of the wobble of the compass card up to a component or components of magnetism eflective in a plane at 29 right angles to the axis of rotation of the compass card in contradistinction to the provision of compensating magnetic fields, the concentrated lines of which are in planes parallel to the plane of rotation of the compass card. Stated diiierently, I purpose a concentration of my compensating magnetic field for zero compensation l substantially along the axis of rotation of the compass card and, of course, of its controlling magnets or needles, and then, by tilting of the concentrated bundles of my compensating lines of force, to create just sumcient horizontal component or components in a plane at right angles to the axis of the rotation of the compass card to compensate against local attractions such as may tend to deviate said card from true response to the magnetism of the earth.

In carrying this into effect, my compensating magnets not only are in tandem along the axis of rotation of the compass card, but they are close together, and the one farther away from the compass card larger than the nearer one,

I whereby the magnet at the greater distance, by

reason of its larger size, may be made to more nearly approximate the magnetic effect of the nearer magnet. For the zero compensating position, it should be noted, as is clearly indicated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, that like poles of the two compensating magnets are against each other, whereby substantial local neutralization of their magnetism is effected in addition to what may remain having its axis of concentration in the axis of rotation for the compass card.

It is further an object of the invention to 1m: prove generally compensating means in a magnetic compass.

The above will all better be understood by reierence to the illustrative embodiment of my invention to which the following specification and claims are directed, solely for purposes of illustration. This embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawingsyvhich form a part hereof.

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of a magnetic compass fitted with one embodiment of my compensating device and with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along line 11-11 of Fig. 1 of the compensator;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a compass fitted with my compensator on the instrument board; and

Fig. 4 is a section through the structure shown in Fig. 1 at right angles thereto and with parts broken away.

It is to be understood that the actual construction and design of the magnetic compass combining with my compensating means is substantially immaterial, although I have illustrated a specific form of magnetic compass in which I indicates the casing, the visual opening of which is closed by a lens window 2 to complete an interior chamber 3 for containing the usual damping liquid; The compass card 4 provides the usual scale face 5 and is operated by a pair of spaced parallel compass needle magnetic bars 5 and E, symmetrically positioned and diametrically spaced in the compass card structure which is mounted to swivel on the fixed post 1 in cooperation with the index finger 8 which cooperates with the indices on the face 5. Any satisfactory pivoting or swiveling means, such as the pin 9 and socket ill, define the axis of rotation for the compass card which is indicated by the line II in the drawings.

In the present embodiment of my compensating magnetic means, a box I2 is detachably mounted upon the casing I, in the present instance on the top of the casing, although it is contemplated that it might be mounted on the bottom of the casing. The essential of my design is to position my compensating permanent magnet bars l4 and I5 in alignment with the axis II for their non-compensating position of adjustment. These bars are mounted for tilting in planes atlright angles to each other and passing through the axis II in a manner convenient for adjustment. The magnet I4 is centrally and diametrically mounted in the rotatable cylinder I! of non-magnetic material which has a hearing at one end on the tip of the screw pin 18 and at the other end by the boss l9 in the box wall 20. One end of the cylinder I1 is formed into, or fitted with, a toothed gear 2| meshing with the adjusting spur gear 22, which is exteriorly operated by the screw driver manipulable boss '23. By this boss and spur gear, the

cylinder ii is rotatable upon an axis at right an gles to the compass card axis H and in the plane of the paper of Fig. 1.

The other cylinder 30 mounting the permanent magnet bar it is rotatable upon an axis at right angles to that of the cylinder l1. It is journaled as indicated in Fig. 2 on the screw pivot pin 3| and by the boss 32 in wall 33. At one end of this cylinder is provided a worm gear 3d meshing with the worm 35 which is operable exteriorly of the box by the screw driver en-, gageable boss 35. By this arrangement of worm and spur gear drive, both bosses 23 and 36 are adjustable from the same direction, which may be chosen as that most accessible. It has been. chosen in my illustrated embodiment asthe front be efiected through the adjusting window 40. By this mounting for positions of no compensation,

the two bar magnets id and i5 are in tandem I necessary compensating torque upon the magnets ii and 6' of the compass card. These compensating bar magnets concentrate bundles or magnetic lines which, for their position of no compensation, can exert no disturbing effect upon the compass card regardless-of its wobble out of the horizontal plane indicated in the figures.

in the preferred embodiment, the: bar magnet magnets 6 and 5', is made larger, that is of greater diameter, than the bar magnet It. By'

making the magnet l5 larger, the tendency for its effect to be lessened by reason of its greater dis- 45 tance may be onset. For zero compensating position, like poles of the magnets id and i5 are..con-

whereby a visible indication of the set of the com- 7 pensating magnets in ay be noted outside of the casing l2. These indicators in the present embcdiment are in the form of upstanding pins for of the compass, so that ready adjustment may iii, located farther away from the compass card the manipulating bosses 23 and 36. These pins are particularly well indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, Fig. 3 indicating a scoring on the casing l2 to which the pins point and indicate the zero neutralizing position.

It should also be noted that the length of compensating magnet i4 is approximately one-fifth of the distance between its center and the'plane of the compass needle magnets 6 and B. It has been found that the total compensating length of-a compensating magnet should be only a fractionof its distance from the compass needle magnets.

It is also to be noted that only the exact degree of magnetic component in a plane at right angles to the axis II is ever produced so that there is always a minimum magnetic disturbance upon the compasscard regardless of its tilt from its normal position indicated inthe drawing.

What'I claim and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In combination in a compensating magnetic 'compass, a compass card having a pair of sym metrically positioned diametrically opposed compass needle magnets; means for 'swivelllng said compass card and for defining its axis of rotation; a first compensating bar magnet; rotary means adjustably mounting said compensating bar magnet to tilt from a position with its axis aligned with the axis of rotation of said compass card to a position at right angles theretora second compensating bar magnet locally of greater pole strength than said first compensating bar magnet; and rotary means adjustably mounting I'said second compensating bar magnet farther away from said compass card than is said first bar magnet and to tilt from a position with its 'axis "aligned with the axis of rotation of said compasscard to a position at right angles thereto and at right angles to said first compensating bar magnet in its extreme tilted position.

2. The structure in combination as specified in iclaim 1 further specified by the fact that said first and second compensating bar magnets are specified only as bar magnet means, the magnetic axes of which are aligned withthe axis of rotation of the compass cardrbut which means are adjustably rotatable to displace these magnet axes at right angles to each other and individuab ly symmetrically at an angle with said axis of rotation. 1

PAUL KOILSMAN. 

